The quest for candy will be a bit trickier during Halloween 2020.

Main Street McMinn-ville’s Trick or Treat on Main Street, Three Star Mall’s Mall-O-Ween, and the city of McMinnville’s Trail of Treats have all been canceled. 

The coronavirus pandemic is the cause.

Participating in traditional trick-or-treating where children go door-to-door in neighborhoods was discussed by city officials. 

“What about Halloween?” asked Alderman Everett Brock. “Are we allowing trick or treating?”

Mayor Ben Newman replied, “I don’t think the city can keep people from going to private residences. We don’t have any authority to do that.”

“We control the times,” said Brock.

Vice Mayor Ryle Chastain stated, “We have a curfew, but we can’t tell people they can’t go trick or treating.”

“OK,” said Brock. “I was wondering how much control we do have.”

Newman replied, “I don’t think we have that control.”

For the spookiest day of the year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists traditional Halloween activities as high-risk for spreading viruses and recommends participation in lower risk activities to limit exposure to COVID-19.

Some high-risk activities:

• Participating in traditional trick-or-treating where treats are handed to children who go door to door

• Having trunk-or-treat where treats are handed out from trunks of cars lined up in large parking lots

• Attending crowded costume parties held indoors

• Going to an indoor haunted house where people may be crowded together and screaming

• Going on hayrides or tractor rides with people who are not in your household

Among the lower risk activities:

• Carving or decorating pumpkins with members of your household and displaying them

• Carving or decorating pumpkins outside, at a safe distance, with neighbors or friends

• Decorating your house, apartment, or living space

• Doing a Halloween scavenger hunt where children are given lists of Halloween-themed things to look for while they walk outdoors from house to house admiring Halloween decorations at a distance

• Having a virtual Halloween costume contest

• Having a Halloween movie night with people you live with

• Having a scavenger hunt-style trick-or-treat search with your household members in or around your home rather than going house to house

Parents and homeowners who decide to partake in the classic door-to-door distribution, should consider safer practices. Trick-or-treaters should wear facemasks (not a costume mask), practice social distancing, wash hands before and after, and sanitize hands frequently during the night. Homeowners could leaving goody bags a safe distance away - at the edge of the porch or yard – so children can take one as they wave from a safe distance.